Roel lived alone.
It was the first time I had seen a residence with several rooms in one building, each occupied by different people.
Her room was fairly spacious, equipped with a bed, a kitchen, and a bathroom.
On the bed, a cute stuffed toy sat, adding a touch of warmth to the space.
“I’m sorry it’s so cramped.”
“You live here by yourself?”
“Yeah.”
For a brief moment, I felt Roel’s expression darken.
I couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but I decided not to pry any further.
“Is it really okay for someone like me to be here? We just met today.”
“I was lonely being by myself.”
Roel slightly turned her face away.
That gesture reminded me of Kurinka when she lied.
I should change the subject.
“So, you’re an Adventurer too, right? Do you have a card?”
“Of course I do.”
She went out of her way to explain it to me.
“Right now, I can only take on simple requests and can’t really solve anything.
Today, I only completed one delivery request.”
It seemed that was how she managed to make ends meet.
Healers were a class skilled in recovery magic, typically sought after by various Adventurers wanting to form parties.
But it seemed she had become so clumsy that no one wanted to team up with her anymore.
“Hey, Lua-chan…”
Roel looked at me with pleading eyes, and I began to understand.
“Um, I know this might be a bit forward, and I’m not trying to impose, but…
would you consider forming a party with me?”
She must have been quite desperate, which explained why Roel was being so kind to a stranger like me.
No, Roel wasn’t that kind of person. I couldn’t quite explain it, but I was sure of it.
“Sure, I don’t really know much either.”
“Thank you!”
Her face lit up with a smile as she grabbed my hands and shook them up and down.
Being thanked so earnestly made me feel happy too.
In fact, I felt like I should be the one expressing gratitude.
If Roel hadn’t come today, I couldn’t imagine what might have happened.
Lua: Level Unknown, Class: Swordfighter, D-Rank
Roel: Level 2, Class: Healer, D-Rank
Thus, our rookie party was formed.
Suddenly, my stomach growled.
“Ahaha, I’m getting hungry too. I’ll make something!”
Roel hurried to the kitchen.
There were so many things I wanted to ask and know.
For ten years, I had lived without any knowledge of the outside world.
I wanted to know what had happened to the village and about that One-Winged Demon.
Maybe I could discuss it with Roel over dinner.
“Here you go, I’m sorry I couldn’t make anything fancy.”
A wonderful aroma wafted through the air.
Having only eaten monster meat for so long, the dish placed on the table looked like a feast to me.
I could see rice inside the egg. What kind of dish was this?
“Omurice, I hope you don’t dislike it?”
“It’s delicious.”
By the time she asked, I had already taken a bite.
It felt as if my entire body was enveloped in kindness.
The egg’s perfect softness blended well with the rice, and the faint tanginess of the ketchup balanced everything, creating a gentle flavor.
I felt tears welling up again.
My mother’s cooking, which I would never eat again, must have tasted just as good as this. I had almost forgotten that.
“What should we do from here?”
“You’re curious about the village, right?”
“Yeah, but I can’t get in.”
“Only A-Rank Adventurers or certain individuals can enter.”
“How can I become an A-Rank?”
“I think if you complete requests as an Adventurer, your evaluation will naturally rise.
But to become an A-Rank, you probably have to accomplish something really big.”
Roel raised her hands wide to emphasize “really big.”
“There are only about a hundred A-Rank Adventurers in the world.
For example, defeating a dragon that annihilated a whole division or discovering an undiscovered dungeon.
And I believe there’s also a test involved.”
“So, I just need to defeat strong monsters, right?”
“Based on what you just said, that understanding is a bit…”
Roel sighed, placing her index finger on her forehead.
I must have exasperated her.
But I understood that rankings would increase with achievements.
With that decided, I would set out to defeat a strong dragon starting tomorrow.
I had fought one on the 60th floor of a dungeon before.
It was a fearsome creature that could freeze my movements with just its roar.
“Thank you for the meal, it was delicious.”
“Thank you! I’ll clean up the dishes, so you can go take a bath first.”
“A bath…”
That sounded refreshing.
Until now, I had only washed myself in a spring found in the middle of a dungeon.
Of course, I could never get completely clean, and there were times when monsters attacked while I was bathing.
“I can wash my body without worry.”
“Eh?”
Roel looked at me with a puzzled expression.
That night, we both climbed into the single bed and fell asleep, preparing for the day to come.